Top of the class
Rankin elementary principal named one of nation's best
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, February 12, 2014
RANKIN INLET
Rankin Inlet scored an educational hat trick when Leo Ussak Elementary School principal Sarah Ayaruak was named one of 40 principals to receive Canada's Outstanding Principals award this past month.
Sarah and Francis Ayaruaq had a lot to celebrate during the past month, as Sarah underwent successful brain surgery shortly after learning she had been named as one of 40 recipients of Canada's Outstanding Principals awards this past month. - Darrell Greer/NNSL photo |
Jesse Payne of Maani Ulujuk Ilinniarvik and Bev Hill of Simon Alaittuq School won the award previously.
Ayaruak will receive her award at the 10th annual Canada's Outstanding Principals award ceremony in Toronto, Ont., on Feb. 25.
Ayaruak received news she had won the award while in Winnipeg waiting to undergo brain surgery on Jan. 22, which was a success.
She was back at home on Jan. 29 and is slated to return to work on March 3.
Ayaruak said while she knew she had been nominated, she was shocked to hear she had actually won the principal's award.
She said the news lifted her spirits considerably.
"I thought at least I have something to look forward to after surgery," said Ayaruak.
"To get that news, despite my health condition, was really something."
Ayaruak said being the third principal in Rankin to be recognized like this is good for the community, and says something about the level of cooperation between the three administrators.
She said they meet regularly once a week to focus on the students of Rankin Inlet, never the students of an individual school.
"A lot of our students have siblings in the other two schools, so much of the work we do centres strictly on the students, themselves.
"It's a cooperative effort between our schools and, I think, that approach benefits our students the most.
"We've been doing it awhile, and the cooperation between the schools makes the transition between them easier for our students.
"They know we work closely together and care for all of the kids, not only in our school, but in the other two schools, as well."
Ayaruak said being an awardwinning principal doesn't change anything.
She said it will still be business as usual when she returns to the job.
"I became a co-principal in 2001.
"Then, in 2009, I was on educational leave when Kivalliq School Operations called to tell me I would be doing the administration alone upon my return.
"That's when I became a principal."
Ayaruak started her career as a student support assistant in 1987.
Then principal, the late Simon Ford, saw potential in Ayaruak and asked her to consider teaching.
She enrolled in the Kivalliq Teacher's Education Program three years later.
Ayaruak took her courses locally as three instructors rotated through the communities of Rankin, Arviat and Baker Lake to deliver the program.
The convocation was held in Rankin at the end of the three-year program, with the new teachers from Arviat and Baker coming to join in a 32graduate ceremony.
Ayaruak remembers Ford fondly.
She said she swore never to forget his advice during her teaching career.
"During his last years of battling cancer, he would come by my place and get me to cook caribou heads for him.
"He told me, when teaching Inuktitut to only use my Inuktitut name, speak only Inuktitut and appreciate our Inuit culture.
"I've always kept that in mind because Inuktitut was spoken to me at home in Coral Harbour.
"I never learned English until my family moved to Rankin Inlet in 1980 after a year in Baker Lake."
